East Coast Day #12 - Hershey & Lancaster, Pennsylvania

After leaving Langhorne, Pennsylvania we drove a few hours northwest over to Hershey. Years ago, Rich and I stopped and visited and thought Ryan might enjoy the kitsch. Though to be honest, I almost regretted going. The once cutesy little stop of ten years ago has turned into a massive tourist trap- you can sign up for various pricey tours to make your own chocolate bar, sample different chocolates, ride a trolley, etc. Many were about $15-30 per person per tour. I think the sales floor was about 10,000 sq. feet. Craziness.

Child labor? We're all for it. We tried to sneak Ryan on the production floor, but they caught him. So no early retirement for us... ;-)

After leaving Hershey, we drove over to Lancaster County (aka Amish Country!) to check into our train hotel. I jubilantly booked this little gem for my train aficionado (though he's more of a bullet train kinda kid) based largely on the photos and amenities online. I uncharacteristically overlooked the reviews describing the place as worn down, but it really was. Though very visually appealing and vibrant in pictures, the place is in dire need of some renovation. Regardless though, the place still has great ambiance/energy for kids and Ryan LOVED it.

The lobby

The amazingly well preserved original dining car (we had a wonderful breakfast there)!

There are over 40 train cars (mostly cabooses) that have been converted into individual rooms there, most are family rooms (that sleep 4 and occupy an entire train car). However, some are couple rooms (cramped) that sleep 2, which are 2 rooms to a car. Not recommended...way too cramped and noisy.

Ryan's first time sleeping on a bunk bed!

Each room had it's own bath, shower, sink, desk, fridge and TV...but were very outdated (as you can see from the wall paneling). I don't fare well in old, dusty motel rooms. Not even those in the form of a train. 

This picture was shot right across from our hotel, and represents about 90% of Lancaster County, which is what I love about it.

In addition to a wooden mini train you can climb in, there was also a playground, Amish buggy rides, an arcade and petting zoo for the kids! You could spend days there if you have kids.

Cruising the hotel grounds

The friendliest animals in all of Lancaster County

The next morning, Ry and I had an amazing breakfast in the dining car, which is remarkably well preserved and had the sweetest server you could imagine. And even though it was breakfast, I ordered myself a slice of homemade Amish shoe-fly pie. Ry and I also busies ourselves by counting all the Amish buggies that passed by our train car that morning. There were about 8 or 9 in just those 30 minutes...which made for some amazing ambiance.

After breakfast, we headed over to the petting zoo with food we'd purchased to feed the animals. The lady warned us that they would probably be 'enthusiastic,' which really meant 'will behave like wild, starving beasts that will try to eat you, your child's fingers, your butt when you bend over (me), and your sweater (Rich).'

This little goat was FURIOUS when we tried to feed the sheep. He angrily head butted the fence trying to get at Ryan and Rich...it freaked me out!

After checking out of the hotel, we drove aimlessly through Lancaster County just soaking up the sights-

We had promised Ryan an Amish/Mennonite buggy ride, so we did that as well...and I found out that like cats and dogs, I am also allergic to horse hair/dander. (I should mention that once we deplaned, we all fell sick, one by one like dominoes...but my congestion/allergies kicked into high gear after using the horse hair blanket we were offered).

After the buggy ride, we got a recommendation for some authentic Amish food (it's one of those meals that ten years later, I can still vividly remember and was hankering for). We ended up at Katie's Kitchen.

I had what was called "Amish Wedding Feast," mashed potatoes, creamed celery, cabbage pepper slaw, and fried chicken/filling...a perfect example of why there are few malnourished Amish folk.

What I love about Amish Country...the only place in the US where there is always horse and buggy parking in every parking lot. :-) This is the back of Katie's Kitchen.

During our visit to Pennsylvania, I'd gotten to interact with Amish folks a few times (the coal mine tour, the buggy ride, grocery store and our lunch)...which was thrilling for me. However, I have no photos of course, because the Amish do not like to be photographed (photos are 'graven images').